Boot-tree



(No Model.)-

E. W. WHITMORE.

BOOT TREE.

Patented Mar. 2.3, 1886.

INVENTEI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVIN YV. VHITMORE, OF VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT- TREE.

.PECIl-"ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,575, dated March 23,1886.

Application tiled December 9, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. VHITnoRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county 0I" Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mounted Swiveling Boot or Shoe Trees, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved mode of constructing and attaching the back portion to the supporting standard or body in a tree for treeing boot-s or shoes, wherein the back is Inovably connected with an auxiliary attaching-plate, which carries the wing-pieces, and which connects by detachable locking devices with the body, so that it can be readily put on and taken oli for the various sizes, as required, also, in the manner ol' connecting` the foot-piece, whereby it can be readily taken off and exchanged for different sizes, the particular features of invention claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a side View of the tree constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section. Fig. 3 is a central section (shown on somewhat larger scale) of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig.y 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the body and auxiliary attaching-plate. Fig. 5 is a view of the bottom of the foot. Fig. 6 shows details of the connecting-plate of the foot-piece. Fig. 7 is a front view of the auxiliary back-attaching plate separate from the body-standard.

In relerring to parts, A denotes the body of the boot or shoe tree, provided with a journal, A', whereby the tree is supported and rotated.

B indicates a movable back piece.

C is the auxiliary plate for attaching the back to the body or standard A, and to which plate C the side plates or guard-pieces, D, are iixed.

. E indicates the foot-piece connected with the body by the slotted bar F. The body A is reduced at its upper end so as to be of less width than the foot of the tree, and the auxiliary back-attaching plate is made to embrace Serial No. 185, l02. (No model.)

said reduced portion ofthe body. This plate C is connected with the back piece, B, by a spring or link, I, extending from the central portion of the back to the lower portion of the attaching-plate, one of its ends being connected to said plate and the other to the back,-B, thus leaving the back free to swing out and in between the side plates, D, by action of the draw-rod J', which is made with a plain Wedgeshaped or backwardly-inclined head, J, that :fits into a recess formed in the back piece, B, and having a correspondiugly-inclined bottom surface, between which and the body metal the head J Wedges when 'the rod J is drawn back. Said rod is furnished with a spring, K, and link K, for effecting the operation of the parts in the usual manner. The plate C is detachably connected to the standard A, so that it can be put on and taken off at pleasure, and is held rigidly in position on the standard by detachablylocking fastening devices.V In the present instance one end of said plate is inserted in a recess on the standard, as atb, and the other end is held by a spring latch, G, connected with the body, which locks over the ends ot' the plate C and retains the parts in connection. By raising the latch G the plate C and back B can be readily removed from the body A, together with the side plates, D, which are secured to the sides of the auxiliary plate C. At the lower end the back is provided with a bifuroated lug, c, which embraces the sides and acts as a fulcrum on the stud H, which latter is provided with a regulating nut, h, for varying the position at which the back is held in the ordinary manner.

By constructing the back with the attaching-plate and the side pieces ixed thereto, as described, the parts can be conveniently made up in sets for the different sizes of boots or shoes, so as to be readily put on or taken off from the standard A to accommodate the tree to all desired sizes of shoes, as may also the foot-pieces E, thus producing a very convenient and efficient apparatus for the purpose specified.

The devices for attaching the foot-piece to the body consist of a plate, F, having a central slot, f, and parallel edges, as indicated in Fig. 6. This plate is fastened to the rear end of the foot-piece, and fits int-o a longitudinal groove formed in the body. (See Fig. 4.) At one portion the slot fis expanded into a circular opening, f', of a size sufficient to pass over the head of the stud L, fixed to the body within the longitudinal groove, and which locks the plate to the body in all positions excepting when the stud and opening coincide, at which position the foot can be readily detached and replaced. The lower end of the plate F slides down into a recess in the body, as indicated at fm, when the foot-piece is pressed down to position, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The spring-latch G may be located either at the upper orlower end of the plate C, as preferred. If at the lower end, an overhanging lug could be used for holding the upper end.

When putting the back piece, B, upon the body or standard A, the end piece of the plate C is inserted behind the lug, and then its other end is snapped under the springlatch G, (this can be instantly done) andthe parts can be disconnected by simply raising the latch.

The back B may be provided with a depres` sion, r, in the sole thereof. to facilitate raising the latch G when it is desired to remove the back and plate from the body-standard.

The spring connecting-link I serves to press the back piece, B, forward so that a plain recess for the head of the draw-rod and a plain wedge-shaped head can be employed without the necessity of connecting the two by dovetailed or undercut grooves, as in the usual practice,and the draw-bar head and back being thus unconnected, there is no inconvenience in separating and putting together the parts when removing and replacing backs.

The auxiliary plate C is made with an open center to allow space for the draw-bar to pass through it and work against the back. The draw-bar J is made with a fiat front side that rests against and slides on the metal of the body, and said body is preferably provided with a longitudinal groove or depression within which the draw-rod is guided. The rod is made with a shoulder or offset that strikes the metal of the body, as at n, and which serves as a stop against the action of the spring K When the bar is at the desired limit of niove ment.

The sides of the standard A, which are reduced along the foot portion, are embraced by the side portions, C', of plate C, which parts fill out and give proper fullness and proportion to the foot and leg, according to the particular size of back B and plateO used thereon, so Aas to correspond with the size of shoe to be treed, and the change of plates and backs gives the variation on this part of the tree, as required.

In lieu of making the wing-plates to attach to the plate C and pass by the angle of the back B the construction could be reversed,

the plates D being attached to the? part B to extend past the angle of the part C. In either case they serve as guards for the varying space between the back and the attachingplate C; but I prefer the construction shown.

What I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the back'piece in a boot or shoe tree, of an auxiliary attaching-plate, as C, having forwardlyextending side flanges, C', outwardly conforming to the lateral size and shape of said back piece, and

connected to said back piece by a spring or flexible link, as I, substantially as and for the 4. The combination, substantially as de-` scribed, of the standard A, the attachingplate C, the back B, iiexibl y connected there,- With, the side plates, D, protecting the variable space lbetween said plate and back, the lug b, and the springlatch G, for thev purposes set forth.

5. The combination,with the standard having the reduced end, and the removable back piece, B, of the back-attaching plate C, having the rigid side Iianges, C', that embrace the sides of said standard and till out the space to the proper size of the foot, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, ot the standard A, the auxiliary plate C, the back piece, B, flexibly connected thereto and provided with a triangular recess, the rod J', having a plain wedgeshaped head fitting said recess, and stopshoulder n, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with the foot-piece E and standard A, having a longitudinal guide- -way, of the recessed plate F, having the slot fand opening f, secured to said foot-piece,

vand the projecting'headed stud L, fixed to said standard, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of December, A. D. 1885.

EDWIN W. WHlTMOR-E. Witnesses: I

OHAs. H. BURLEIGH, GHARLEs S. BACON.

IIS 

